Morgan Wright Posted April 8, 2018 Share Posted April 8, 2018 Taking all the gauges out of the E-49 to spruce them up. Car came with some extras. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morgan Wright Posted April 8, 2018 Author Share Posted April 8, 2018 The stack of ignition boxes came with the car. The rusty one on top was in the parts car, the other 3 were bought by the previous owner. Two are mint NOS and come with keys. I kinda like the one that says Buick on it. The original one is still in the car, so I know where the wires go when I get the harness. This basically means I have 5 of them!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morgan Wright Posted April 9, 2018 Author Share Posted April 9, 2018 First the clock. Spruced and cleaned. The hands are missing, the main spring is detatched inside, the balance wheel ticks fine as long as I push the gear that would be pushing if the main spring wasn't broken. "Rim wind" works....for half a turn until the main spring slips again. The "rim set" works, you just can't tell because the hands are missing. But it still works, because it's a Buick. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morgan Wright Posted April 9, 2018 Author Share Posted April 9, 2018 Now the oil sight thing. The glass is broken so I have to fix it. Should I get new glass or should I use JB Weld on the old glass? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morgan Wright Posted April 10, 2018 Author Share Posted April 10, 2018 Oil sight thing fixed. Didn't know what color to paint the pointer so I made it white. Used Pyrex glass because the oil gets hot. Made glass slightly smaller to leave room for expansion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morgan Wright Posted April 10, 2018 Author Share Posted April 10, 2018 At the end of this video you can see one of these oil sight gauges in action. His was painted white so I copied. I used nail polish. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3hYdV6dEChE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morgan Wright Posted April 10, 2018 Author Share Posted April 10, 2018 Next the gas gauge, which was heavily rusted and encrusted. It took several soakings to get it apart, in kerosene which didn't work, solvent which didn't work, and finally acetone, which did, but who knows what else it dissolved? Then 2 or 3 soakings in vinegar to get the rust off. The paint on the dial face did not survive the ordeal. This is what did: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonMicheletti Posted April 11, 2018 Share Posted April 11, 2018 Morgan, Here is the dash of my E-45 built in '17. The "pinwheel" in my oil gage is different than yours. Does yours have "ears" or did you just paint white stripes on it? Also, years ago, someone made reproduction gas gage dials. Perhaps you can find one. But, the numbers and such on mine are not raised like yours. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carmover Posted April 11, 2018 Share Posted April 11, 2018 (edited) On 4/8/2018 at 8:59 PM, Morgan Wright said: Now the oil sight thing. The glass is broken so I have to fix it. Should I get new glass or should I use JB Weld on the old glass? Morgan, I f it was me I would use a clear epoxy.Most Hobby Shops have it and it drys clear. Jb Weld will make a mess of it.Of course new glass would be the best fix. Edited April 11, 2018 by carmover (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morgan Wright Posted April 11, 2018 Author Share Posted April 11, 2018 1 hour ago, carmover said: Morgan, I f it was me I would use a clear epoxy.Most Hobby Shops have it and it drys clear. Jb Weld will make a mess of it.Of course new glass would be the best fix. Come on, you should know me by now..... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carmover Posted April 11, 2018 Share Posted April 11, 2018 1 minute ago, Morgan Wright said: Come on, you should know me by now..... I do know you by now my Friend!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morgan Wright Posted April 11, 2018 Author Share Posted April 11, 2018 2 hours ago, DonMicheletti said: Morgan, Here is the dash of my E-45 built in '17. The "pinwheel" in my oil gage is different than yours. Does yours have "ears" or did you just paint white stripes on it? Also, years ago, someone made reproduction gas gage dials. Perhaps you can find one. But, the numbers and such on mine are not raised like yours. Don, I am 99% sure that your pinwheel is inside out. That leaves me with the 1% chance that I'm wrong, but I tried it both ways.....one the way yours is and one with the stripes out, and it works 10 times better with the two stripes facing out, when I put it to my mouth and blow into the top one, the thing spins real fast, but the other way it barely spins. And also, with the stripes facing out the ribbed part is lower and looks like it would catch more oil. I will take pics of mine both ways and post them. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morgan Wright Posted April 11, 2018 Author Share Posted April 11, 2018 Here are the pics: 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morgan Wright Posted April 11, 2018 Author Share Posted April 11, 2018 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3hYdV6dEChE In the above video you see, around 15 seconds from the end of the video, a 1915 Buick with the stripes out on his gauge, and his were both white so I painted both sides now. I guess it spins both ways but think it makes it easier to see it spinning with the white paint. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morgan Wright Posted April 11, 2018 Author Share Posted April 11, 2018 This shows the dash of the 1918 E 49 from PA that sold recently. You can see the stripes are on the outside: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spinneyhill Posted April 11, 2018 Share Posted April 11, 2018 On 9/04/2018 at 12:55 PM, Morgan Wright said: But it still works, because it's a Buick. Actually your clock it was made by the Keyless Auto Clock Co. Inc. and runs for 8 days on a wind. A clock maker can repair it for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morgan Wright Posted April 11, 2018 Author Share Posted April 11, 2018 I'm going to remove the white paint today. It doesn't look like it belongs and it might flake off and gum something up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonMicheletti Posted April 11, 2018 Share Posted April 11, 2018 It has been many years since I have had the oil gage apart, but I dont remember the "ears". It may well be wrong. However, it does spin quite fast the way it is. I do remember having a heck of a time to get it leak free, so I'm not going to take it apart to find out since it works well. But you do have my curiosity up. My clock works well and keeps perfect time. Runs about 6 days between windings. I have never done anything to it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morgan Wright Posted April 11, 2018 Author Share Posted April 11, 2018 Looking pretty slick so far huh? Now my car has keys!! I turned the key to see if it would start the car. No luck. Too bad my AAA expired. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morgan Wright Posted April 11, 2018 Author Share Posted April 11, 2018 I swapped out the ammeter for the white one with a bronze casing, from the other NOS unit. It's critical to get all the washers and fiber washers in the correct order when installing the ammeter: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonMicheletti Posted April 11, 2018 Share Posted April 11, 2018 In looking at the photos here, I noticed the instrument panel on my E-45 is different from the E-49's. Indeed, the parts list shows 2 different panels. The clock was obviously added to my car, while the E-49's came with them. Also, the "pinwheel" is shown with ears on the parts list, so mine is either in backwards or wrong. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nickb Posted April 11, 2018 Share Posted April 11, 2018 Don, you are correct in thinking your 'pinwheel' is in backwards. I've just taken a couple of photos of mine in my 1918 E45... I've recently cleaned it out and replaced the cracked glass and it works fine now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonMicheletti Posted April 11, 2018 Share Posted April 11, 2018 You guys are talking me into taking it apart to check and initiating the leaking again! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonMicheletti Posted April 11, 2018 Share Posted April 11, 2018 I was right, my pinwheel doesnt have the ears. However, when I took it out, I can see where one must have been (photos). Can anyone give me the dimensions of the "ear" thingy? Width, length and thickness. Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morgan Wright Posted April 11, 2018 Author Share Posted April 11, 2018 Best thing I can do is give you a really big blow-up pic. My micrometers are both in the other shop. Never again will I be stranded without a micrometer. Worse than having no toilet paper. (White paint removed) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morgan Wright Posted April 12, 2018 Author Share Posted April 12, 2018 When you put it back together make sure you shellac the two fiber gaskets, and install them when the shellac is almost dry but still a little gummy. There won't be any leaks. If you can't find the 2 gaskets I found some cheap ones, like 40 cents each (in the photo). I'm waiting for my optician to edge a glass lens of 3/16 inch thick Pyrex, exactly 1 and 11/16 inch diameter. This one is only temporary, made from some 1/4 inch glass I had, and I don't know how to work the edger it seems, because I'm not a real optician, I'm only an optometrist. It was the best I could do. Obviously 1/4 inch is too thick and the original was 1/8. They don't make 1/8 inch Pyrex. Really like the idea of Pyrex. Good enough for wood stoves, good enough for hot oil. And 3/16 should make it last forever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morgan Wright Posted April 12, 2018 Author Share Posted April 12, 2018 According to my parts list the pinwheel came on C 24, 25, 36, 37, 54, and 55, C-4 truck, D and E 6 cylinder, and E 4 cylinder. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonMicheletti Posted April 12, 2018 Share Posted April 12, 2018 Morgan, I can easily scale this photo, Thanks. The ears look about the same thickness as the wheel thickness, is that so? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonMicheletti Posted April 12, 2018 Share Posted April 12, 2018 I know you have the remnants of the gage glass. The glass from my parts car, that had been turned into a farm truck and was abandoned about 1932, is .125" (1/8") thick and 1.745 (~1-3/4") diameter. I beleive it to be original. The same as my E-45 glass. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morgan Wright Posted April 12, 2018 Author Share Posted April 12, 2018 4 hours ago, DonMicheletti said: Morgan, I can easily scale this photo, Thanks. The ears look about the same thickness as the wheel thickness, is that so? The ear is .754 long .191 wide and .015 thick. The width widens to .262 at the center. The pinwheel is .750 diameter and also .015 thick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morgan Wright Posted April 12, 2018 Author Share Posted April 12, 2018 The glass was 1/8 thick on the oil gauge and gas gauge, and both were broken, so I went with 3/16 for strength: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Engle Posted April 13, 2018 Share Posted April 13, 2018 I would like to hear solutions to preventing oil leaks on the gauge. I've had mine on the 17 D45 apart twice, made new gaskets added a gasket around the spacer ring and it still leaks. Bob Engle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morgan Wright Posted April 13, 2018 Author Share Posted April 13, 2018 I'm guessing there must be a reason for the 4 castellations on the nut, that tells me Buick must have put a whole lot of torque when tightening it. I plan on using a pipe wrench when I put mine together. And shellac on the gaskets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonMicheletti Posted April 13, 2018 Share Posted April 13, 2018 Thanks Morgan. What I now have agrees with what you mention. I have an adjustable face spanner wrench. With good gaskets I did get my gage leak free without a heck of a lot of force. The spanner only has 2 lugs. My nut shows that it had been "visited" by a pipe wrench for tightening. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morgan Wright Posted April 13, 2018 Author Share Posted April 13, 2018 I'm selling one of the ingition / light switch combination cluster, with ammeter. I don't need 5 of them. https://www.ebay.com/itm/combination-ignition-light-switch-ammeter-buick-olds-chevy-1918-1917-1916-1919/192509966191 It's $150 for a lightly used one, the NOS one with keys I might just keep unless I'm coaxed into selling it, but it will be $ boo-koo. The other 2 are junk. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morgan Wright Posted April 14, 2018 Author Share Posted April 14, 2018 I finally got the oil spinner together. Finally, the optician reluctantly (they only make eyeglasses with plastic lenses these days and only the old timers know how to do glass or have the equipment) edged the glass to 1.710 inches and polished the edges, and "chem hardened" the glass. Crown glass is much stronger than window pane glass, but chem hardened it's almost unbreakable. Before installing I thought I'd shoot some WD-40 down the copper pipes. The down pipe to the oil pan was clear and the WD-40 came out the pipe clean. The pipe to the oil pump....not so much. It filled it with WD 40 and none came out the other end. Think I need to remove the oil pump and get it loose. Then I'll send a coat hanger down the pipe and install the gauge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morgan Wright Posted April 17, 2018 Author Share Posted April 17, 2018 Oil pump was fine, did not need un-sticking or anything. The WD-40 would not pass the oil pump because it was doing its job. Now that I think about it.....if the WD40 had got past the oil pump, that means it was broken! What's this thing for?? A brass or copper insert into the block to decrease the diameter of the oil passage between where the two copper oil lines go. Like a shotgun choke. Only the 1917 has it, the 1918 doesn't, it has a smaller diameter passage in the block itself: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonMicheletti Posted April 19, 2018 Share Posted April 19, 2018 Morgan, Thanks for the photo and dimensions for the oil indicator wheel. I made a new one (photo - the rough edges still need to be cleaned up). Next question: was it painted or installed as just raw brass? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morgan Wright Posted April 19, 2018 Author Share Posted April 19, 2018 Raw brass, not painted. But you have to stamp PAT on it so people know you paid the patent holder his fee, adjusted for inflation and with compounded interest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonMicheletti Posted April 20, 2018 Share Posted April 20, 2018 Right Morgan. I'm ahead of you there. I catually tried to make one stamped and when I tried to stamp the "PAT." on it, my stamps were to big to fit. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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